The Life and Lies of Amilea Mariah McKinnon
by XxAmilea.M.McKinnonxX
Summary: A series of One-shots documenting the life of one Ami McKinnon. Chapters are out of order, and are cannon-compliant up until the end of DH. Fred/OC in some chapters. May be a bit confusing, if you have questions, just ask.
1. Running

**A/N/Warning: This story is a series of one-shots, about Ami McKinnon's life. I've tried writing a story, but I just couldn't do it. Some parts were very easy to write, and others very difficult. This is going to be the collection of ideas I've thought through. **

**There will be spoilers for the series, but if you don't want to be spoiled, I suggest you not read fanfiction. **

**Disclaimer: Last I checked, I wasn't J.K. Rowling. If I switched places with her and am unaware of this fact, please tell me, because that would make me very happy. As far as I know, I only own Ami.**

_Running. Hurry. Hurry! Fast, must escape. Must get away. They're chasing me. They want to hurt me. Must run away._

Ami ran through the forest, her four long legs eating up the ground in quick, hurried strides. The wind whipped through her dark red fur. She dared not glance behind, in fear that it would slow her down and cause her to be caught. She instead focused on the forest ahead, leaping over fallen trees and changing her direction as quickly as she could.

The small group of Snatchers followed the red wolf. They surmised it was her. It had to be, no other wolf could be that shade of red, or run with such purpose. The group of dingy men had been searching the woods for months, looking for the one animagus whose head would fetch a lovely price if caught. Amilea McKinnon, friend and ally of Harry Potter, and daughter of one of the Dark Lord's most pesky enemies. Why, if she had been a boy, and born only two months later, She could've been the "Chosen one."

Ami kept on running, her ears swiveling behind her as she heard the footsteps softening. They were falling behind! She didn't let up her pace, but instead pushed on even faster. Ami didn't stop until she couldn't even scent the dirty men anymore. She morphed back into her Human form and backed up against a tree as she desperately tried to catch her breath and quiet her pounding heart. She put her hand over her heart, as if that would muffle its sound and more fully hide her. She felt the heated metal of her locket, and smiled slightly, finding comfort in the golden heart. Ami pulled her wand from its place in her boot and focused on a new destination. "Thank goodness I grabbed my bag…" She whispered, just about to apparate away when a large hand ripped her familiar Cherry wand out of her grasp. The large hands pinned Ami's arms to her side and locked her to the tree.

"Going somewhere, missy?" The gruff voice spoke, the stench of alcohol and body odor reaching out to Ami as if it were a hungry monster.

Ami, calling upon her best acting skills, put on a wide-eyed and innocent face. "N-no…" She whispered, her voice wavering as she met the dull brown eyes of her captor.

He was a rather large man, towering over Ami's 5'7" height. He had long, dirty brown hair and was in need of a shave. His clothes were dingy and frayed, as if he had been wearing them for months. The dirt caked on his arms and neck was a clear sign that he hadn't bathed in at least a week.

"Eh! Jules! We got 'er!" The man growled loudly, breaking into a toothy grin. Ami recoiled from the smell of his breath. Judging by the yellowing, this man obviously needed a toothbrush and some mints.

A smaller man, Jules, apparently, walked up. He looked Ami over, a wicked gleam in his eyes. The other man tossed her wand to him and he paused, looking over it.

"Well, well. May I ask why such a pretty girl is out here in the forest all alone?" He looked up, and let Ami get a better look at him. He appeared a bit cleaner than the other, as if he was of higher importance, and could afford such luxuries as a bar of soap.

"I'm out camping, with my father." Ami replied, still putting on her frightened face. If she was lucky, she could pass off as an innocent girl.

"And where's your tent?" Jules asked, raising an eyebrow as he scanned the empty clearing.

"I was just packing up." Ami replied, motioning to her bag. If opened, she knew it would only contain supplies commonly found on campers. She had nothing to hide. Nothing in there would give her away.

"Where's your dad?" Jules asked, looked at her suspiciously, still smirking.

"He went to the town nearby, to get supplies." Ami replied coolly, really disliking the number of questions. Sure, she had a back-up story in case she was caught, but at this rate, she'd need a lot more info. She began thinking ahead in the conversation, figuring out more and more while she waited for the next question.

Jules looked Ami up and down, as the bigger man looked at him with a dazed expression. "You think we 'ave the wrong girl?" He asked thickly, his eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

"What's your name, girlie?" Jules ignored the other man, and instead re-focused to Ami.

"Ann Taylor." Ami replied, after a slight pause. She tried to make it seem as if she was debating telling them, when in reality she was switching Elizabeth, her first choice as a first name, to Ann.

"And your father?" Jules asked, not changing his facial expression whatsoever.

"Daniel. Daniel Taylor." Ami replied.

"Mmm-Hmm. On you two are on holiday? Where's your mum?"

"She's visiting my grandmother in the country." Ami answered, finding it difficult to keep her charade of wide-eyed innocence with the barrage of questions. She was wondering how she could get out of this, and debated grabbing her wand and making an insane dash for it. Her logic told her that this was a bad idea at the present time, but maybe if she waited….

"Alright, let me see your bag." Jules spoke, breaking her train of thought. Ami handed over the bag quickly, wondering if this meant what she thought it meant.

"Well, there seems to be nothing incriminating in here, and your story sounds believable." Jules said, closing her bag after thoroughly searching it. Ami watched him, hardly believing that they would just let her go.

"In fact, if we didn't have this, I would have believed you, Ami." Jules replied, holding up her golden locket. He smirked at the red-head as the bigger man laughed darkly, tugging on her arm harshly.

"How'd you get that?" Ami growled angrily, cursing mentally as her hand subconsciously flew to her throat. The golden chain was gone.  
>Jules didn't reply, but instead turned over the locket, his eyes glancing over the inscription. "To Ami, Happy 17th." He spoke the words aloud, with emphasis on 'Ami'. He flipped it over again, where the inscription "If you asked me how many times you have crossed my mind, I would say once, because you never really left…" danced around the perimeter of the heart shape.<br>"How sweet. Your boyfriend'll never see you again, dearie." Jules replied, smirking and walking closer to Ami, his cold blue eyes meeting her furious hazel ones. Ami let go of her control with a flash, kicking and thrashing as she tried to escape the bigger man's grasp. Jules, appearing amused, stunned Ami with her own wand.

"To the Ministry?" The bigger man asked, smirking. "Pretty price she'll fetch, 'eh?"

"No. I received word last night that we are to send her to the Malfoy Manor. It's the new headquarters, and she's of enough importance. The others are still looking, gather them up."

"But…Boss, wha' 'bout 'er?" He motioned to Ami, just then recovering from the stunning.

"Leave her, I'll tie her up." Jules replied, waving his hand dismissively as he twirled her wand.

"'kay." The man put Ami down, and the moment he let go, she sprung up in retaliation. Jules responded by stunning her again and conjuring ropes to tie her to the tree. "Nice try, now if I were you, I'd sit tight and not cause problems."

Ami said nothing, and instead fumed in silence, devising many plans to escape, each more ridiculous and far-fetched than the last.

After what seemed like hours, but was in actuality only a few moment of sitting on the damp forest floor, the larger man returned with two others. One was tall and skinny, with messy hair and way too much facial hair. The second was of average size, with a ponytail and duct tape holding his t-shirt together.

"What a pathetic group." Ami muttered, a bit disgusted with herself for being caught by such imbeciles.

"What was that?" Ponytail said, his face contorting in rage as he kicked Ami in the shin. "Watch your mouth!"

"Easy Peter, don't damage the merchandise." Jules replied, seemingly bored with the entire operation. "Let's go."

Ami was yanked to her feet, held by the older man, and felt the familiar jerk as she apparated alongside the motley group. She knew that she was doomed, seeing as there was no chance of escaping now that Jules had tucked her wand in his coat pocket. The other three might have wands too, and she'd just be stunned again.

Once Ami could see again, she saw a large, dark manor ahead, blocked by the group with wrought-iron gates. A white peacock strutted along the top of the hedge fence and Ami scoffed. "No wonder Malfoy's so messed up. He lives with a bloody peacock!"

"Quiet you." Ponytail said, as a House Elf let them inside.

_ I thought Dobby was their House Elf? Did they get another? _Ami though, confused. She shook her head to clear her mind as the man holding her pushed her forward, causing her to trip. She glared at him and walked on, into the looming house.

As they entered the dreary house, Ami knew only one thing. She was going to need a whole lot of luck to get out of this.

**A/N This takes place in the middle of DH. Before Harry and the others are caught. I tried to make it different than their capture, but there's only so much to work with. Thanks for reading, and if you enjoyed it, would you mind pressing that little button below and telling me why? If you hated it, also press that button and tell me why. I enjoy any and all reviews. I know it's a cliffhanger, but I'll probably have the next part up soon, under this story as well.**


	2. Animagi

**A/N Here's a slightly younger, more insecure Ami for you all. ^^ This was fun to write, as I've never really thought of Ami as insecure. **

**Disclaimer: Ami is a sick, twisted person from the recesses of my mind. Everything else you may recognize? Not mine, people. **

_What if it doesn't work? What if I mess up and it cannot be un-done? Should I even try? I have to…it's a safety precaution. But…._

Ami was doubting herself as she walked down the corridor. She had used one of Fred and George's Nosebleed Nougats to get out of her last class early. She needed the halls empty as she headed down to the forest. She needed to test something out tonight, but she didn't have an invisibility cloak like Harry. As long as she made it before classes got out, she should be fine. Ami trotted out of the castle quickly, closing the door as quietly as possible and jogging down to Hagrid's Hut. She knew he was talking to Dumbledore, but it was as good an excuse as any if she got caught outside. "I needed to ask Professor Hagrid a question about the homework he assigned." Would sound like a reasonable excuse to any teacher randomly walking the grounds. As soon as she reached the familiar hut, however, Ami kept trotting towards the trees. She knew that the very edges of the forest were rarely occupied, as the creatures of the forest wouldn't dare venture so close to the humans, and the humans felt the same.

Ami found her usual clearing and glanced around before nodding and pulling her wand out of her pocket. She took out "Advanced Transfiguration Techniques" and flipped through the dog-eared copy to find the right section. She laid it on a rock and read along, mouthing the words silently.

"An Animagus Transformation is among one of the rarest and most difficult forms of Transfiguration. Only very powerful and skilled wizards are able to become Animagi. The process of becoming an Animagus is long and arduous, and has the potential to backfire and cause the transformation to go horribly wrong. Once the initial training is over, an Animagus can change at will at any time, with or without a wand."

Ami took a deep breath before closing her eyes and softly speaking the incantation. She had attempted this before, and she knew that it might not work. The very first time she had tried, absolutely nothing had happened. The next, she had received the mind of a canine instead of the body. She had trouble focusing for hours, and she kept wanting to chase things. She had slept in the forest that night, waiting. The last time she had attempted the transformation, she had been stuck with reddish dog ears and a tail. That was the hardest to deal with. She had gone up to the Hospital Wing, said something about trying to break up a duel and getting hit with a spell, and gotten off scott-free.

Ami didn't open her eyes for a moment, but felt a peculiar feeling. It was as if every bone in her body was shifting, becoming a different size. It didn't hurt, per se, but it was a tad uncomfortable. She cracked open an eye and noticed that the colors of the forest were a bit different. It wasn't black and white, but more of varying shades of green and blue. "That's weird." Ami thought aloud. Her vision had never been messed with before…

Ami's breath hitched in her throat as scents hit her nose. She could smell the rain from earlier that morning, and she knew that Hagrid hadn't been in his Hut since lunch. This was a good sign, right? So far, she had the senses of a canine. The sight…the heightened sense of smell…It seemed just her ears were-No, there was the sound of a fox running, obviously a decent distance away. Ami looked down, into a small rain puddle and nearly gasped. Instead of the usual 5'7" redheaded girl staring back at her, it was a large and lean red wolf. Ami could've leaped for joy. She exclaimed triumphantly, it coming out as a series of short barks and yips. She nearly died from euphoria. It had worked! She had successfully transformed!

"So much for "extraordinary talent is required" Stupid textbook." Ami said to herself, although to anyone listening it sounded more like "arf arf roo, ruf ruarf. Hoooo."

To celebrate, Ami decided to race around and test out her two extra legs. She stood, a little wobbly at first, and started to walk. The first few steps were a bit difficult, as she kept forgetting to use her back legs. After a few minutes, though, Ami was running around as if she had been a wolf her entire life. The wind ruffled her reddish fur, and she howled in glee. After a while, she lay down in the cool dirt and panted for a moment, a doggy grin plastered on her wolfish face. As soon as she was comfortable again, Ami spoke the incantation mentally to transform back. Fro a moment, panic struck her. What if it didn't work? What if she was stuck as a wolf forever?

"How could I be so stupid? I should've made sure I knew how to transform back!" Ami ranted aloud, her eyes still screwed up tight in fear of opening them and seeing that she was still canine.

Scrounging up the courage, Ami peeked open one eye. She saw different colors, but didn't crack a smile until after she saw her familiar black nail polish.

"Yes!" She breathed semi-silently, grinning like a fool. She picked up her wand and bookbag, and took off for the castle at a jog, her stomach growling for sustenance. She joined Hermione, Ginny, Harry, and Ron at the Gryffindor table, getting slightly weird looks at her smile as they ate. Afterwards, Ami cornered both Ginny and Hermione and grinned. "It worked!" She whispered, trotting up the stairs alongside them.

Hermione seemed a bit amazed, her eyebrows shooting up. "Really? A full transformation?"

Ginny just smiled and elbowed her. "Be nice." Her brown eyes shot back to Ami. "That's great! You've been working so hard lately. What was it like being a dog?"

Ami chattered amiably, explaining everything as the three girls headed up to their dorms. Ginny asked questions over the experience, while Hermione wanted to know the actual theory.

"How did you say the incantation? How were you holding your wand? Did you have your eyes open or closed?" She asked, looking as if she needed a quill to write down Ami's every word.

"Does it really matter Hermione? It should all be in that Transfiguration textbook she's got anyways." Ginny said, rolling her eyes.

"Of course it matters! Textbooks are nothing to a first-hand account! Now Ami, what did it feel like to transform?" Hermione responded as they parted ways between the two dorms.

Ami sighed. "I'm really tired, Hermione, can we finish the third-degree tomorrow?" She changed into polka-dotted pants and a T-shirt from a muggle tourist town before crawling into bed.

"I supposed, but tomorrow I'll probably have more questions." Hermione replied.

"As always." Ami said, staring up at the ceiling of her four-poster bed. She had tacked up some glow-in the dark stars from her muggle home and had charmed them to change colors and move according to the night sky. Right now, the Big Dipper was orange, and Ursa Major happened to be a lovely blue-green color. Ami couldn't drift off to sleep just yet, though. Her mind was still stuck in the forest earlier. Her emotions were a mix of confusion and amazement. She had managed to do it, but would it work if she needed it to? Would it be like a patronus, harder to perform in times of need? She bit her bottom lip as she contemplated the answers. Eventually, she had drifted off to sleep, slipping into a dream about running through the forest. Her mind was soothed for the time being. 

**A/N Please no comments like, "Animagi are so rare, what makes Ami so special?" I've thought this through and am not just making her an Animagus because it's cool. It serves a purpose. Also, this takes place in her sixth year, so she's a year older than James, Sirius, and Peter when they successfully completed their first transformation. Ami first discovered the textbook when she was fourteen, ****when she found out that something serious was happening with Voldemort. She figured it would be an extra safety to be able to transform into an animal. Two years seems like a reasonable time for a talented Transfiguration student to figure it out. **


	3. Sorting

**Disclaimer: Nope, still not J.K. Rowling. **

A red-haired girl stands in a throng of other children. All are wide-eyed with anticipation as they stand in the large hall. Four tables surround them, filled with older children and teens. Another, larger table stands facing them. This one is filled with adults. The red-haired girl looks at them all. A pale man with lanky, grease-filled dark hair looks down at the children with a sneer. Beside him, and continuing down the line, there are more. A man in a purple turban, shivering as if scared. A plump woman with a hat, dressed in earthy tones. A strange-looking woman with large spectacles holding a glass ball. In the middle, sitting in an ornate chair, is a man with twinkling eyes behind his glasses. His beard is a safety hazard, the girl thinks. It's so long he must trip over it whenever he walks.

Standing in front of the group of eleven-year olds is a woman holding a roll of parchment and a tattered old hat. She is dressed in dark green robes, her hat hiding her hair. The girl suspects she is someone important, maybe second to the man with the beard.

The girl watches as the hat is set down on a stool and begins to…sing?

The hat is singing. Either this is a very complex dream or Hogwarts really is real. It must be, there's no other explanation. The girl couldn't have conjured this all in her mind, there was too much.

The hat stops singing and the woman starts to read instructions. "When your name is called, please come sit on the stool. I will place the Sorting Hat on your head and it will sort you into your house, your home while you are here."

A ginger-haired boy nearby whispers to a raven-haired one with glasses, "It's a hat! Fred was on about fighting an ogre, I'll kill him."

He is shushed by a bushy-haired girl behind him. She turned back to the hat, watching with a critical eye. The girl remembers her from the train. Her name is one she had never heard before….Hernanda…Hermia….Hermione! That was it, Hermione Granger. She had helped to find the lost toad of the plump boy standing to her left, Neville something.

Ami is brought back from her thoughts by the reading of the first name.

"Abbott, Hannah!" The girl watches as a blonde girl walks forward and sits, hands shaking. After a moment's pause, the hat announces its decision.

"Hufflepuff!"

A platinum blonde haired boy to the girl's left sneers. "I would leave if I was sorted into Hufflepuff." He says; quiet enough so that only the group of children hears. Glares come from a few, obviously disagreeing. The redhead looks over to the cheering table. "They don't look so bad." She glances to the boy, who was now talking about his choice, Slytherin.

By chance, the next student called became a Slytherin. Millicent Bulstrode strode over to the table proudly, sitting next to an older student. Looking down the table, the girl noticed that almost every student appeared either arrogantly smug or bored. "Hufflepuff'd be better than Slytherin, at the very least."

"Hermione Granger!" The girl watches as the brunette walks up calmly, her face the only give-away that she is nervous. The hat takes a bit longer to decide for her, before making her a Gryffindor.

The next person the girl recognized was Draco Malfoy, the blonde boy who had sneered towards Hannah Abbott's sorting.

It was no surprise that he was made a Slytherin.

"McKinnon, Amilea!"

Ami winced slightly at the use of her full name, but dismissed it, since the woman obviously didn't know any better. She walked up calmly, but her hazel eyes showed her fear. What if this was some kind of cruel dream? What if the moment that tattered brown hat touched her head, she would be lifted back into reality? Ami could hardly stand the thought of going back to waking up and living a day where Kimberleigh made her life horrible. The blonde adopted sister of hers was always on the lookout for ways to torment Ami, and would cry abuse whenever she tried to retaliate.

Shaking her head to clear her worried mind, Ami took a deep breath and sat down on the stool. She watched as the brown cloth covered her eyes.

A voice filled her mind, a soft whisper that was easily heard, as it smoothly appeared over her own thoughts.

"Hmmm…Amilea McKinnon, daughter of Marlene McKinnon. Oh yes, I remember your mother. Brave soul, easily a Gryffindor."

_It's Ami. _Ami thought, interrupting the hat's words.

"I'm sorry Miss McKinnon. Ami it is. Well then, where should we put you? You have bravery, and a temper just like your mother, but there's something else…a curiosity, and a certain…pride? Would that be the correct term? You find yourself better than others because you don't act like they do…"

Ami was immediately reminded of Kimberleigh, and people like Malfoy. She was a bit shocked that the hat obviously knew so much about her.

The hat continued in a slightly smug tone. "All traits of a Slytherin."

Terror tore through Ami. _No! Please, I'd much rather be a Gryffindor._

"I'm only joking, I knew from the moment I rested upon your head that you would be a Gryffindor!" the last word was shouted for the entire hall to hear. However, as the hat was being lifted off her head, she heard one last whisper.

"You have too much of your mother in you."

Ami walked over to the cheering table, noticing many older people she had seen either on the platform or on the train. She sat next to Hermione, as she was the only first-year she remembered so far. She smiled and nodded politely before turning back to the sorting.

Ami watched lazily, only halfway paying attention. She was instead thinking about whether or not the Sorting Hat had really been joking about her being very much like a Slytherin…She decided to banish that thought to a later time when the sorting was completed and food appeared on the table before her.

**A/N Blame the skipping of time to Ami's tendency to zone out and my laziness. The Sorting Hat is completely OOC, but I was way too lazy to look up what his personality is like in the book. xD I've always wanted to write her sorting. ^^ I had to put the notion of being in Slytherin into her mind without completely copying Harry's sorting. Anywho, this is a short chapter until I figure out where else to go with this story. I'm thinking either an epilogue-type thing, or maybe a POA or OOTP-era Ami.**


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